Welcome to Britain, A
Date: 1943
Director: Anthony Asquith, Burgess Meredith
Production Company: Ministry of Information, Strand Film Company
Stars: Ronald Forbes Adam, Felix Aylmer, Jacob L Devers, Ira C Eaker, Bob Hope, John C H Lee, Carla Lehmann, Beatrice Lillie, Burgess Meredith, Johnnie Schofield, Jack Sharp, Beatrice Varley
Location(s): Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent, London, Oxfordshire
Region(s): London T-Z, South East R-Z
Storyline:
Presented as a joint collaboration between the British Ministry of Information and the US War Office for newly arrived World War ll American soldiers in the UK prior to the Normandy Landings. It was intended as a guide to British society, behaviour and wartime conditions.
Additional Information:
With thanks to Mark Fynn for bringing this film to our attention and for his establishing locations, for which he is duly credited. Text and screen captures uploaded by Richard Lovejoy.
The film can be viewed for free by clicking on BFIPlayer.
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We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.
- Capture 1
- 'Now' required
The film opens with American troops disembarking a ship at an unknown port.
- Capture 2
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The troops are welcomed by a group of Brits. Unknown location.
- Capture 3
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Some troops rest while interviews with senior officers take place. Unknown location.
- Capture 4
- 14 May 2025
Our narrator and guide Burgess Meredith, commences the introduction of the GI’s to the British ways of life, with the pub. The sign is for Taylor Walker, a London brewery, and Anthony Spencer recognised the public house as the Three Compasses on Pegmire Lane in Aldenham, Hertfordshire which also appears as the Black Swan in '633 Squadron'.
Anthony took this view of the pub which includes a rather ugly addition.
- Capture 5
- 'Now' required
“If you ask them nicely they will show you the local ruins." 'The Bolingbroke’ on the corner of Dashwood Road, London SW8 and Patmore Road. Now part of the Carey Gardens development.
- Capture 6
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“On the night it happened they were in there”. 'The Bolingbroke’ on the corner of Dashwood Road, SW8 and Patmore Road. Now part of the Carey Gardens development.
- Capture 7
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“Old Charlie the greengrocer, he got it too. That’s what’s left of his shop." I cannot pinpoint this despite the blurred apparent panning camera.
- Capture 8
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“And this is what’s left of a couple of houses.” Unidentified location.
- Capture 9
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“Bill got his pal out of there.” I believe it could be St Andrew’s Church, Patmore Street, SW8 in the background.
- Capture 10
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“One house out of every two or three were damaged, in places like Portsmouth, six out of seven.”
- Capture 11
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“And the churches got it bad too. They still hold services in them sometimes.” Unidentified, the architecture doesn’t appear to suggest that this is St. Andrew’s Church seen previously.
- Capture 12
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“Now maybe if you play your cards right you’ll be invited to supper.” Unidentified but a pan left from the church interior.
- Capture 13
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“Rationing is tougher here than it is at home.” All Saints’ Church, Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire.
- Capture 14
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Burgess looks down the road to see children on their way to school. Circa 35-39 Church Street, Sutton Courtenay, Oxon.
- Capture 15
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As other children come to pass him, he asks if he can accompany them to school and feeds them ‘candy’, as “ Candy is rationed in England.” Outside the entrance gate to All Saints’ Church, Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire.
- Capture 16
- 'Now' required
Walking with the children he is distracted, once again, by a young lady (Carla Lehmann) who keeps crossing his path. Unknown location.
- Capture 17
- 06 May 2025
They arrive at school. Some considerable distance away, Brimpton Church of England Primary School, Brimpton, Lane, Brimpton, Reading, Berks. Identified by Mark Fynn.
Now with VE Celebration flags and a No Stopping sign. (SR)
- Capture 18
- 06 May 2025
Burgess is led into school by the children.
Renovation has preserved the arched brickwork that surrounded the original window. (SR)
- Capture 19
- 'Now' required
Whilst ‘in class’ he asks the school’s teacher (Felix Aylmer) what the troops accommodation will be like. Perhaps the simple elegance of a Nissen Hut. Unknown location.
- Capture 20
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"Some will have to make shift with a castle or so." Leeds Castle, Broomfield, Maidstone, Kent.
- Capture 21
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“Others will live in hostels.”
- Capture 22
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“Some will live in barracks, not much of a novelty for the men I am afraid.” Unknown location.
- Capture 23
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“Some in cellars, some in stables.” Unknown location.
- Capture 24
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After leaving the school he stops to ask the way to the station. Steve Randall advises that this is Lane End Cottage, Brimpton Lane, Brimpton, Reading, Berks. the home of Jennie Lee and Aneurin Bevan in the 1940's. Records reveal that it is Jennie's parents that are in the garden.
- Capture 25
- 'Now' required
There is a chill in the air and it starts to rain but he arrives at the station. Midgham Station and signal box. Named after a nearby village, it is actually in neighbouring village Woolhampton, Berkshire. Established by Mark Fynn.
- Capture 26
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Burgess crosses the railway line and onto the platform. The crossing at Midgham station, largely included for historic purposes.
- Capture 27
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He looks back at the inclement weather. Included for historic record. The station is now little more than a passenger shelter. As the sign on the signal box reads, Midgham.
- Capture 28
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He approaches the station master to enquire of the next train to “Kirencester”...... spell it “C_i_r_e_n_c_e_s_t_e_r”...... ah, “Sisester”. The pronunciation changed to follow the spelling in subsequent years. Midgham station on Station Road in Woolhampton.
- Capture 29
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He awaits the next train having been told to change at Reading. Hasn’t this train come from that direction? Midgham station again.
- Capture 30
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As the train supposedly pulls out of the station, the engine is reversed and it appears to be a completely different station. Anthony Spencer found that the Railway Movie Database identifies this as Taplow station in Buckinghamshire, one stop east of Maidenhead on the route west out of Paddington.
- Capture 31
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He arrives at his destination, Reading? Which looks, particularly the footbridge, like the station in the previous capture . . . so Anthony Spencer suggests that this is also Taplow station, and those chimneys can be seen in 1950's 'No Trace'.
- Capture 32
- 21 Jun 2025
A tower of Westminster Abbey as seen from Dean’s Yard, SW1 with the signage of ‘The Churchill Club’ bottom right hand corner. The premises were used for secret military purposes during the War except for the ground floor that, as a disguise, was used as a club for senior American officers.
The south side of Westminster Abbey is rarer than the west face. SJ
- Capture 33
- 21 Jun 2025
The camera pans down to see a taxi enter Dean’s Yard and pull up outside No 6 Dean's Yard where Burgess gets out, only to meet Bob Hope.
The north-east corner of Dean's Yard with Westminster School to the right. SJ
- Capture 34
- 21 Jun 2025
The big question where to go on your 24hr pass. Special Services Section and the Red Cross will help you figure that out.” ‘Connaught Hotel’, Carlos Place, London W1.
Also seen in Behemoth, A Touch of the Sun, Murder by Proxy, The Man without a Body and Nothing But the Best. SJ